Mode of attaching thills to axles



G. KENNY.

Mill-Coupling.

N0. 22 604. Patented Jan. 1], 1859 Witnesses= I ventor:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEO. KENNY, OF MILFORD, NEYV HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND JOSEPHUS BALDWIN, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

MODE OF ATTACHING THILLS TO AXLES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,604, dated January 11, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE KENNY, of Milford, in the county of I-Iillsboro and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Mode of Attaching Thills to the Axles of Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a longitudinal vertical section of my invention taken in the line a, m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is a horizontal section of ditto, taken in the line y, y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken in line y, y, Fig. 1, showing the relative position of the parts prior to the secrewing up of the nut e, on bolt: D, and Fig. 4, shows the device applied to the Philadelphia clip.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents part of the axle of the vehicle; F, the wooden filling above.

B, is the yoke shaped clip, which encompasses the axle and filling and has at its lower ends two bolts Z, Z. These bolts and nuts f, f, serve to fasten the plate or yoke' (Z, to the axle. The plate d,'has two eyes a, a, between which fits the eye 6. The eye b, forms part of the plate 9, to which the thill C, it attached,by means of a bolt h, and nut z. A tube E, made of india rubber, ex-

tends through the eyes a, Z), a, and a little beyond the outer ends of the eyes a, a, as seen at a, a, Fig. 3.

When the device is to be made ready for use, a washer 0, is placed at each end of the tube E, and a bolt D, passed through the tube E, as seen at Fig. 3. The nut e, is then screwed on the end of the bolt D, until the washers c, c, are close down on the outer ends of the eyes a, a. The tube E, thus compressed will closely fill the space between the bolt D, and the inner surface of the eyes a Z), a.

Fig. 2, represents the device when ready for use.

The eyes a, a, b, are made sufliciently large in diameter to admit of the insertion of an india rubber tube E, between the bolt and the inner surface of said eyes. This india rubber tube is made a little smaller than the inner diameter of the eyes a, a, b, so as to be easily and expeditiously inserted and removed from the eyes. When first inserted it extends beyond each of the eyes a, a, as fully shown in Fig. 3. The india rubber tube is made a little larger than the bolt so that the bolt can be withdrawn without difficulty after the nut e, is unscrewed. The relative positions of these parts prior to the screwing up of the nut, are fully shown in Fig. 3. hen the bolt has been inserted as shown in Fig. 3, the nut e, is screwed up against the washer 0, (which may be of iron, leather or of any other similar material) whereby the head of the bolt D, is drawn up against the other washer o, and as the nut is screwed up still tighter, the india rubber tube is made to contract in length, but as the rubber cannot be compressed in bulk, or but slightly, the tube is made to expand in thickness or diameter in proportion to its being shortened in length. Now it will be seen, that as the nut is screwed up, the india rubber tube is made to fill compactly and tightly the space between the bolt and the inner surface of the eyes a, a, 6. Then the nut has been turned up as far as the rubber tube will permit, the? bolt and eyes a, a, b, are so closely united to I the rubber, that neither can move, turn or 185 slip that is the bolt cannot turn in the rubv ber tube, neither can the eyes turn on the rubber tube, so that the motion of the thills up and down is due to the spring or twisting of the india rubber.

Owing to the peculiar character of vulcanized india rubber, it retains its elasticity for any length of time, and although forced to assume different forms by pressure, it will, as soon as such pressure is removed instantly spring back into its original form. I am therefore able to make my india rubber tube a little smaller than the eyes, and a little larger than the bolt, so as to admit of their being put together quickly, and yet when the nut is screwed up, I get a complete a perfect fit between the rubber, bolt, eyes and washers or nuts, while at the same time, I have only to unscrew the nut and permit the rubber to spring back, and the bolt and rubber can both be removed without the least trouble.

It may be remarked that the use of washers is not essential, since with a smooth head and nut, the rubber tube might be compressed in length, and made to lock the parts, &c., but in practice, it Will be found best to use a washer, inasmuch as it Will obviate the necessity of making the bolt head and nut with so much care as .Would be necessary if Washers Were not to be used.

From the foregoing description it Will be seen that my invention prevents all Wear of the parts, inasmuch as it prevents their rubbing or turning in contact together, and at the same time precludes the possibility of any dust or moisture from ever getting in contact With the surface of the bolt, or with the inner surface of the eyes a, a, b. It Will also be noticed, that oWing to the fact that the rubber is constantly pressing against the Washers, there is but little liability of the nut ever Working off. My rubber tube,

therefore, in addition to holding and securely locking the bolt and eyes together, preventing dust and moisture from ever getting between the joints of the eyes a, a, Z), so as to afiect their inner surfaces injuriously, acts as a continual and constant spring to hold the nut firm and steady and at the same time prevents all dust or moisture from getting in at the outer sides of the eyes a, a.

In operation my clip or connection Works easy and Without the least noise or rattle. It is both simple and effective and is therefore the more to be desired.

It Will of course be understood that although but one clip and ,thill are herein shown that two are attached as usual, both connections being precisely similar.

I do not claim encompassing the bolts D, in elastic tubes irrespective of the particular arrangement herein shown and described, but

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and of my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

The combination of the pressing and locking india rubber tube E, with the eyes a, a, b, and bolt D, with its nutc, substantially in the manner and for the purposes above described.

- GEORGE KENNY. W'itnesses:

WM. F. GREELEY, W. L. CARTER. 

